Scientists propose to develop a biological computer powered by millions of human brain cells that they say could outperform silicon-based machines while consuming far less energy.
The international team, led by Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, published in the journal Frontiers in Science on Tuesday a detailed road map to what they call “organoid intelligence”. The hardware will include arrays of brain organoids — tiny three-dimensional neural structures grown from human stem cells — connected to sensors and output devices and trained by machine learning, big data and other techniques.
The aim is to develop an ultra-efficient system that can solve problems beyond the reach of conventional digital computers, while aiding development in neuroscience and other areas of medical research. The project’s ambition mirrors work on the more advanced quantum computing but raises ethical questions around the “consciousness” of brain organoid assemblies.
